A weekly check-in is four or five short questions each person answers at the end of the week. It takes them two minutes and tells you how everyone is going before small problems grow. Copy one of the templates below and send it this Friday.
Template 1: small team
Send it every Friday at 3 pm, so people answer before they leave and you can reply before Monday.
| # | Question | Answer type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How did your week go, out of 5? | Scale 1 to 5 |
| 2 | What did you get done on your goals? | Short answer |
| 3 | Any blockers I can help with? | Short answer |
| 4 | What's your top priority next week? | Short answer |
| 5 | Anything for our next one-on-one? | Short answer, optional |
Template 2: coaching clients
Send it two days before each session, or weekly for clients you see often.
| # | Question | Answer type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How are you feeling about your goals, out of 5? | Scale 1 to 5 |
| 2 | What moved forward since our last session? | Short answer |
| 3 | Where did you get stuck? | Short answer |
| 4 | What would you most like to talk about next time? | Short answer |
Template 3: student mentor group
Send it every Friday during a pastoral or mentor lesson.
| # | Question | Answer type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How did your week go, out of 5? | Scale 1 to 5 |
| 2 | What did you get done on your goal? | Short answer |
| 3 | What got in the way? | Short answer |
| 4 | What's your focus next week? | Short answer |
How to run it
- Keep the questions the same each week. Numbers only mean something when the question doesn't change.
- Reply to every "blocker". Even a one-line reply. If people never hear back, the answers turn into "fine".
- Watch for two low weeks in a row. One low week is normal. Two is worth a conversation.
- Don't turn it into a report. It's a two-minute habit, not a performance review.
- Bring it into one-on-ones. Start your next one-on-one from what they said. See A one-on-one agenda that works.
Questions people ask
What should a weekly check-in include?
How the week went (a quick score), progress on goals, anything in the way and the focus for next week. Four or five questions is plenty.
What day should a weekly check-in go out?
Friday afternoon suits most teams. The week is fresh and you have time to reply before Monday.
How is a check-in different from a status report?
A status report lists tasks for the manager. A check-in asks how the person is going and what they need, so it leads to help rather than paperwork.
Where can I find more check-in questions?
See Twelve check-in questions that get real answers for daily, weekly and quarterly questions.
In Lifetick
Start from a weekly check-in template or write your own questions, choose who gets it and when, and read every answer in one place. People answer on their phone, and answers that need you rise to the top.
See Send your first check-in, Choose questions and a schedule and Read and reply to answers.
Try it with your team.
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